PRESS RELEASE – Beginning this year, FirstEnergy Park crowds will no longer exceed 8,000. The BlueClaws held several focus groups and consultations with season ticket and ticket package holders in the off-season and are following their recommendation to call 8,000 a sell-out crowd.

Included in the reasoning are limiting the longer lines at the concession stands and bathrooms that occur at the largest-crowd games as well as creating additional room on the concourse on the busiest of nights.

“This was a decision that we came to only with significant thought and a lot of factors being considered,” said BlueClaws General Manager Geoff Brown. “Ultimately, we decided that we can make the fan experience better, and our fans agreed.”

This policy goes into effect this season.

The BlueClaws have had five seasons in which they have exceeded 8,000-person crowds on at least 14 occasions. The team has also led the South Atlantic League and New Jersey in attendance in all 11 years of existence, totaling 4,838,623 to date.

The expects to bring their 5-millionth fan through the gates in early June.

FirstEnergy Park, which opened when the BlueClaws came to Lakewood in 2001, has a listed capacity of 6,588. This includes reserve seats, three Investors Bank Picnic Areas, two party decks, 17 SkyBoxes, and the Kimball Medical Center Champions Club.

Under this policy, Sod Squad tickets will now be limited to 1,412 on a per-game basis.

Fans are encouraged to order their tickets in advance of their desired games if possible. Fans that come to a game and are turned away will receive a refund on parking.

Currently, tickets are only available through a ticket package or group outing. Individual game tickets will go on sale to the general public at FanFest on Saturday, March 17th from 10 am – 3 pm. Phone and internet orders will begin on Monday, March 19th at 10 am.